Cottonwood County vs Lake County
A side-by-side comparison of Cottonwood County and Lake County: population, income, housing, and more.
Cottonwood County and Lake County are counties in Minnesota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Cottonwood County has the higher population (11,458 vs 10,911 in Lake County). Lake County has the higher median household income ($75,621 vs $68,239 in Cottonwood County). Lake County has the higher median home value ($222,900 vs $154,000 in Cottonwood County).
Population, income & housing
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,458 | 10,911 |
| Median age | 41.3 yrs | 49.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $68,239 | $75,621 |
| Median home value | $154,000 | $222,900 |
| Median gross rent | $765 | $1,026 |
| Housing units | 5,163 | 7,405 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 84.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 25.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 2.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,299 → 11,458 (+1.4%) | 10,560 → 10,911 (+3.3%) |
| Median household income | $52,087 → $68,239 (+31.0%) | $61,452 → $75,621 (+23.1%) |
| Median home value | $94,200 → $154,000 (+63.5%) | $174,700 → $222,900 (+27.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $629 → $765 (+21.6%) | $662 → $1,026 (+55.0%) |
Cottonwood County
11,29911,458
$52,087$68,239
$94,200$154,000
$629$765
Lake County
10,56010,911
$61,452$75,621
$174,700$222,900
$662$1,026
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.3% | 4.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 18.8% | 14.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.2% | 5.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.3% | 8.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.0% | 11.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 11.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.0% | 16.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 16.0% |
| 75 and over | 10.8% | 11.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.5% | 94.8% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% | 0.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 3.4% | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 1.6% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.5% | 1.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.6% | 6.8% |
| High school graduate | 35.2% | 30.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.3% | 36.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.9% | 16.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.0% | 9.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.2% | 77.5% |
| Carpooled | 9.6% | 6.3% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Walked | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 10.1% | 10.9% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 0.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 84.5% | 86.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.0% | 2.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| 20 or more units | 4.1% | 2.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.4% | 3.4% |
Poverty & households
| Cottonwood County | Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 8.3% |
| Average household size | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 16 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1961 | 1970 |
Full profiles
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